Nutritional Genomics: Implications for Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss in older individuals, driven by a multifactorial etiology involving genetic, environmental, and dietary factors. Nutritional genomics, which studies gene-nutrient interactions, has emerged as a promising field for AMD prevention and management. Genetic predispositions, such as variants in , , , , and oxidative stress pathways, significantly affect the risk and progression of AMD.

Unveiling Statins and Genetics in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: The Coimbra Eye Study-Report 9.

Purpose: To assess the association of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) progression and statins, connected with AMD genetic risk, and if there is an interplay between statins and genetics.

Methods: In this analysis, 682 subjects made two visits (6.5-year follow-up) of the Coimbra Eye Study.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Extramacular Drusen: Genetic Associations in the Coimbra Eye Study.

Purpose: To explore the association between the genetics of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and extramacular drusen (EMD) in patients with and without AMD.

Methods: We included 1753 eyes (912 subjects) with phenotypic characterization regarding AMD and EMD. Genetic sequencing and the genetic risk score (GRS) for AMD were performed according to the EYE-RISK consortium methodology.

Conservative management of pneumopericardium: A case of unexpected success.

A 79-year-old male with severe aortic stenosis was admitted with syncope and cranioencephalic traumatism with major nasal hemorrhage. While being prepared for surgical aortic valve replacement, a high-degree atrioventricular block was detected and a definite pacemaker was implanted.

"O meu coração bate saudável" - Results from a pilot project for health education in Portuguese children.

Introduction And Objectives: Childhood offers an excellent window of opportunity to start interventions to promote behavioral changes before unhealthy lifestyles become established, leading to cardiovascular diseases. The goal of this pilot educational project for children is the promotion of healthy lifestyles and cardiovascular health.

Methods: This project was implemented in 4th grade children and included teacher-led classroom activities, a lesson given by a cardiologist and a practical lesson with dietitians.

Interaction between genetics and the adherence to the Mediterranean diet: the risk for age-related macular degeneration. Coimbra Eye Study Report 8.

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a multifactorial degenerative disease of the macula. Different factors, environmental, genetic and lifestyle, contribute to its onset and progression. However, how they interconnect to promote the disease, or its progression, is still unclear.

Global warming and heat wave risks for cardiovascular diseases: A position paper from the Portuguese Society of Cardiology.

Global warming is a result of the increased emission of greenhouse gases. The consequences of this climate change threaten society, biodiversity, food and resource availability. The consequences include an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease and cardiovascular mortality.

Air pollution and cardiovascular diseases: A position paper.

Air pollution is one of the main environmental risk factors for health and is linked to cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of mortality worldwide. In this position paper, we discuss the main air pollutants and how they can promote the development of cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular events. We also summarise the main evidence supporting the association between air pollution and cardiovascular events, such as coronary events (acute coronary syndromes/myocardial infarction; chronic coronary syndromes), stroke, heart failure and mortality.

Common and rare genetic risk variants in age-related macular degeneration and genetic risk score in the Coimbra eye study.

Purpose: To determine the contribution of common and rare genetic variants in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a Portuguese population from the Coimbra Eye Study (CES), and the genetic risk score (GRS).

Methods: Participants underwent ophthalmologic examination and imaging. A centralized reading centre performed AMD staging.

Phenotypic Expression of CFH Rare Variants in Age-Related Macular Degeneration Patients in the Coimbra Eye Study.

Purpose: To determine the association between rare genetic variants in complement factor H (CFH) and phenotypic features in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients from the Coimbra Eye Study (CES).

Methods: AMD patients from the Incidence CES (NCT02748824) underwent ophthalmologic examination and color fundus photography, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), fundus autofluorescence, and near-infrared imaging. Multimodal phenotypic characterization was carried out in a centralized reading center.

Efficacy and Safety of Intravitreal Aflibercept Treat and Extend for Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy in the ATLANTIC Study: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is far less common and studied in a Caucasian population than in an Asian population, and the optimal treatment approach remains to be confirmed.

Methods: A 52-week, double-masked, sham-controlled, phase 4, investigator-initiated randomized clinical trial (RCT) in naive symptomatic Caucasian patients with PCV treated with aflibercept in a treat-and-extend regimen (T&E) (intravitreal aflibercept injection [IVAI] T&E). Patients were randomized at week 16 to receive IVAI T&E plus either sham photodynamic therapy (PDT) or standard fluence PDT with verteporfin.

Retinal layer thicknesses and neurodegeneration in early age-related macular degeneration: insights from the Coimbra Eye Study.

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the retinal layers and choroidal thickness in a large set of eyes with early age-related macular degeneration (AMD), in order to detect differences by stage suggestive of early neurodegeneration, and to explore biomarkers of different phenotypes.

Methods: This study is a population-based, cross-sectional study. Patients from the incidence AMD study (NCT02748824) with early AMD (Rotterdam 2a, 2b, 3) were included.

Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy in Caucasians: Morphological Findings from Multimodal Retinal Imaging.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to characterize the morphological features of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in a large Caucasian population.

Methods: We conducteda multicenter, cross-sectional study of treatment-naïve patients with PCV. Baseline fundus photography, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), fluorescein angiography (FA), and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) were assessed by trained medical graders.

Non-exudative macular neovascularization in pseudoxanthoma elasticum.

Purpose: To characterize morphological changes in the retina and to report the frequency and natural history of non-exudative macular neovascularization (MNV) in a cohort of pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE).

Methods: A single-center, retrospective study was complemented by a cross-sectional examination. Consecutive patients with a definitive genetic and/or clinical diagnosis of PXE, visiting our department between January 2019 and December 2019, and with a minimum follow-up of 6 months were recruited.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration Staging by Color Fundus Photography vs. Multimodal Imaging-Epidemiological Implications ().

Epidemiology of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is based on staging systems relying on color fundus photography (CFP). We aim to compare AMD staging using CFP to multimodal imaging with optical coherence tomography (OCT), infra-red (IR), and fundus autofluorescence (FAF), in a large cohort from the Epidemiologic AMD Coimbra Eye Study. All imaging exams from the participants of this population-based study were classified by a central reading center.

Macular atrophy development in neovascular age-related macular degeneration during first year of treatment: Incidence and risk factors.

Purpose: To assess the development of macular atrophy, according to the new Classification of Atrophy Meetings criteria, in patients with treatment-naïve neovascular age-related macular degeneration during the first year of treatment with ranibizumab or aflibercept, and to determine baseline factors predictive of atrophy development.

Methods: Retrospective subanalysis of three prospective clinical trials that included eyes with treatment-naïve neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Multimodal evaluation was performed with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, fluorescein angiography, fundus autofluorescence and color fundus photography at baseline and after 12 months of treatment.

Incidence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the Central Region of Portugal: The Coimbra Eye Study - Report 5.

Purpose: To describe the 6.5-year incidence and progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a coastal town of central Portugal.

Methods: Population-based cohort study.

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet, lifestyle and age-related macular degeneration: the Coimbra Eye Study - report 3.

Purpose: To characterize the lifestyle and nutritional risk profile associated with the Mediterranean diet in a Portuguese population with and without age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: Nested case-control study (n = 883) within the Coimbra Eye Study, including 434 subjects with AMD and 449 age- and sex-matched subjects without AMD. All enrolled subjects underwent a full risk assessment, including lifestyle-related risk factors and a thorough food frequency questionnaire.

Influence of the Vitreoretinal Interface on the Treatment with Anti-VEGF for Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: To investigate the influence of the vitreoretinal interface on the outcomes of different ranibizumab regimens for exudative age-related macular degeneration.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective subanalysis of 2 prospective clinical trials. Patients were treated with ranibizumab for 12 months according to 3 different regimens: pro-re-nata (PRN), treat and extend (T&E), and monthly.

Exercise-induced cardiac remodeling in athletes and in special forces soldiers.

Introduction: Exercise-induced cardiac remodeling is frequent in athletes. This adaptation is structurally manifested by an increase in cardiac dimensions and mass. Soldiers are also subject to intense physical exercise, although with different characteristics.

The Decreasing Prevalence of Nonrefractive Visual Impairment in Older Europeans: A Meta-analysis of Published and Unpublished Data.

Topic: To estimate the prevalence of nonrefractive visual impairment and blindness in European persons 55 years of age and older.

Clinical Relevance: Few visual impairment and blindness prevalence estimates are available for the European population. In addition, many of the data collected in European population-based studies currently are unpublished and have not been included in previous estimates.

Multimodal Evaluation of the Fellow Eye of Patients with Retinal Angiomatous Proliferation.

Introduction: We conducted a multimodal, cross-sectional evaluation.

Methods: Eyes were divided into 4 study groups: controls, early/intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD), fellow eyes of retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP), and RAP eyes. Patients were evaluated with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT), enhanced depth imaging-OCT, and OCT angiography (OCTA).

[Secondary Arterial Hypertension: Uncertainties in Diagnosis].

Arterial hypertension is regarded today as a global public health problem, and the prevalence rate in Portugal is 26.9%. According to the etiology, is classified into primary or secondary arterial hypertension.